Were U2 the band of the 90's?

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Zoo adam

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Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« on: May 14, 2024, 01:03:01 PM »
The argument for -

Three huge and acclaimed albums.

A great single for a big film.

Collaboration with Pavarotti.

Passengers.

Two huge and spectacular tours.

A number 1 greatest hits album.

Radiohead only released 2 great albums.

Oasis only released 2 great albums.

GnR couldn't sustain there early 90's hugeness.

Two number 1 singles in the UK.

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Soloyan

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2024, 01:30:14 PM »
In short : no.
A dangerous idea that almost makes sense...

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2024, 01:45:30 PM »
There 90's singles in America were not as big as in the 80's. Four top 20's, three making the top 10.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2024, 02:00:27 PM »
U2's 90's singles in the UK were a bit erratic.

Two number 1's and several top 10's. However also several songs not making the top 10.

From NYD, only Two Hearts didn't make the top 10 in the 80's.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2024, 02:10:25 PM »
U2 were still pretty big in America. Oasis & Radiohead never broke it.

REM were popular in the UK & US. But less chart success than U2 & seemed to fade from 95 onwards.

ZooTV was pretty awesome compared to the other artists tours.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2024, 02:14:59 PM »
U2 seemed to be working throughout the 90's.

Either touring or recording. Three albums, Passengers and two stand alone singles.

One of the stand alone singles was 'Sweetest Thing'. But it helped promote the 80-90 CD & beat Oasis to number 1.

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The Exile

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2024, 02:59:20 PM »
They were for ME, absolutely. But in the U.S. that title would probably go to some grunge band, and in Europe I could see it going to U2, Radiohead, Massive Attack, or even Oasis or some shit.
Listen as Hope and Peace try to rhyme,
Listen over marching bands playing out their time.

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Loyal Deserter

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2024, 03:12:09 PM »
Absolutely not.  You could argue they had the tour of the 90s with ZooTV being very emblematic of the decade and very successful, but no way in hell were they the band of the 90s.  Didn’t have the cultural capital.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2024, 03:12:58 PM »
Oasis were huge in the mid 90's. In the UK.

They remained huge for the rest of the decade although 'Be Here Now' was a drop in quality & 'The Masterplan' lost out to U2.

They also supported U2 in 97 which highlights they were not breaking America.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2024, 03:13:32 PM »
Absolutely not.  You could argue they had the tour of the 90s with ZooTV being very emblematic of the decade and very successful, but no way in hell were they the band of the 90s.  Didn’t have the cultural capital.

Who were?

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So Cruel

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2024, 03:28:06 PM »
North America: Nirvana

UK: Oasis

Me: U2
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Shank

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2024, 04:10:55 PM »
No
They hit the peak of popularity in the late 80's and then rode it through AB.  People on here might think they had 3 huge and acclaimed albums in the 90s but really it was only 1 (actually read two articles in the past month that included Pop as a 'worst albums from great bands).
I was becoming a huge u2 fan in the early 90s and i still didn't hear about Passengers until way after the fact.  Even today, no one outside of die-hards knows about it.

I don't know who thee band of the 90s would be but tough to argue against Oasis.  Nirvana was kind of a short-lived moment- as was grunge in general. GNR hit their peak popularity in the 80's.
I don't know- but i know it wasn't u2 (even if they were for me personally).

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2024, 04:36:54 PM »
Looking at time periods of when bands reached and maintained there 90's peaks may help -

Oasis 93-96.

Radiohead 95-97.

REM 90-94

GnR 88-92.

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REM & GnR were the bands who were big in the UK & US.

« Last Edit: May 14, 2024, 04:39:38 PM by Zoo adam »

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2024, 04:43:27 PM »
For me U2's peak 90's period was 91-98. Am biased as a fan but -

91 - 93. AB, ZooTV, Zooropa.

95 - HMTHKMKM, Passengers.

97 - 98, Pop, Popmart, 80-90.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Were U2 the band of the 90's?
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2024, 04:49:53 PM »
No
They hit the peak of popularity in the late 80's and then rode it through AB.  People on here might think they had 3 huge and acclaimed albums in the 90s but really it was only 1 (actually read two articles in the past month that included Pop as a 'worst albums from great bands).
I was becoming a huge u2 fan in the early 90s and i still didn't hear about Passengers until way after the fact.  Even today, no one outside of die-hards knows about it.

I don't know who thee band of the 90s would be but tough to argue against Oasis.  Nirvana was kind of a short-lived moment- as was grunge in general. GNR hit their peak popularity in the 80's.
I don't know- but i know it wasn't u2 (even if they were for me personally).

Zooropa and Pop were huge albums. It was U2.

However agree at the time they got mixed reviews.

Was well aware of Passengers in 95. Bono & Pavarotti were all over the radio & TV. Again it was U2 releasing an album. Sort of.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2024, 04:52:14 PM by Zoo adam »